VIDEO: Digital, data and distribution driving growth in rail

As the world emerges from the pandemic, Phocuswright estimates gross travel bookings will continue to increase in the next few years, approaching $1.5 trillion in 2024 – nearly equivalent to the 2019 level. 

Within the category of ground transportation, rail is a sector pegged for steady growth, with Phocuswright estimating bookings will go from $131 billion this year to $151 billion in 2023 and $161 billion in 2024.

That growth is, of course, due in part to consumers’ increased awareness about climate change and growing desire to choose transportation that is less impactful on the environment as possible.

According to Phocuswright’s report, Sustainability in European Travel 2021, more than two in three travelers in France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom say they are likely to fly less to reduce their carbon footprint.

And specifically for rail, more than one in three travelers in Spain, Italy and France and about three in 10 in the United Kingdom and Germany intend to use rail more frequently for future trips. The intent is most pronounced among younger travelers, age 18 to 34, with about 44% on average saying they plan travel by rail in the next year. 

As rail gains consideration by travelers, the industry is working to simplify the complexity that as traditionally been involved with planning and booking a train trip.

Trainline is one of the companies at the companies working to digitalize and integrate the experience – so train travel is an easy and obvious option as consumers are making travel decisions. 

In October, Trainline announced an integration with Google Maps, enabling users to click through from the map to buy train tickets via Trainline. 

The connection came just a few months after Trainline brought on chief technology officer Milena Nikolic, who joined from Google where she was an engineering director. 

In the latest PhocusWire Pulse: Green Light for Ground Transportation online event, Nikolic discussed her priorities for Trainline, the importance of personalization and optimizing the experience “for the individual in the moment” and why the rail sector needs to focus on being “wherever travel decisions are made” versus waiting for travelers to find it on their own. 

The full interview with PhocusWire's Mitra Sorrells is included below...